News

Preview: IAAF World Championships Preview in Moscow

Impact of the World Marathon Majors Series

2013-08-05

Red Square and Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow will set the stage as Olympic and World Championships gold medalists and World Marathon Majors (WMM) champions compete in the 2013 IAAF World Championships Marathon. The course will start and finish at Luzhniki Stadium, the site of the 1980 Olympic Games. Comprised of one loop of 7.5 kilometers and three loops of 10 kilometers, the course runs through the city center, passing many of Moscow’s famous landmarks.

World Marathon Majors points are at stake in the Women’s and Men’s World Championships Marathons, to be held on August 10 and August 17, respectively. The World Championships Marathon is part of the 2012-2013 WMM Series, which also includes the Tokyo, Boston, Virgin Money London, BMW Berlin, Bank of America Chicago, ING New York City, and London Olympic Games marathons.

At the conclusion of the 2012-2013 WMM Series in November, the top female and male marathoners in the Series, based on their total number of points, will each earn $500,000.

A change at the top of the women’s WMM Series standings is possible, as four of the top 10 in the current standings will compete in the World Championships. Defending World Championships gold medalist Edna Kiplagat will lead the Kenyans against an Ethiopian contingent that includes London Olympic Games Marathon gold medalist Tiki Gelena; 2012 BMW BERLIN-MARATHON champion Aberu Kebede; and 2013 Boston Marathon runner-up Meseret Hailu.

A repeat victory in Moscow would give Kiplagat a total of 55 points and the overall lead in the standings entering the fall marathon season, which includes the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on September 29, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 13, and the Series finale at the ING New York City Marathon on November 3.

Four of the top 10 men in the current WMM Series standings will compete in the World Championships, including an Ethiopian trio of Tsegaye Kebede, the current WMM Series leader and 2013 Virgin London Marathon champion; Lelisa Desisa, the 2013 Boston Marathon champion; and 2011 World Championships bronze medalist and 2012 Bank of America Chicago Marathon runner-up, Feyisa Lilesa. London Olympic Games Marathon gold medalist Stephen Kiprotich, of Uganda, will also compete.

Kebede’s 60 points in the 2012-2013 WMM Series standings currently give him a commanding 24-point lead over Kenya’s Wilson Kipsang. With a top five performance in Moscow, Kebede can extend his lead prior to the fall marathon season. Tied with 25 points apiece, Desisa or Kiprotich can only move into second place with a win in Moscow.

Race reports and updated WMM Series standings will follow the respective IAAF World Championships Marathons on August 10th and August 17th. For the latest WMM news and updates, please visit www.worldmarathonmajors.com. For more information on the 2013 IAAF World Championships, please visit www.mos2013.ru/en.

2012–2013 WMM Series Leaderboards

Top 10 Men

Tsegaye Kebede

ETH

60 pts.

Wilson Kipsang

KEN

36 pts.

Wesley Korir

KEN

27 pts.

Lelisa Desisa

ETH

25 pts.

Stephen Kiprotoch

UGA

25 pts.

Geoffrey Mutai

KEN

25 pts.

Feyisa Lilesa

ETH

20 pts.

Dennis Kimetto

KEN

15 pts.

Abel Kirui

KEN

15 pts.

Micah Kogo

KEN

15 pts.

Top 10 Women

Priscah Jeptoo

KEN

50 pts.

Rita Jeptoo

KEN

40 pts.

Sharon Cherop

KEN

35 pts.

Atsede Baysa

ETH

30 pts.

Mary Keitany

KEN

30 pts.

Edna Kiplagat

KEN

30 pts.

Tiki Gelana

ETH

25 pts.

Aberu Kebede

ETH

25 pts.

Tirfi Tsegaye

ETH

16 pts.

Meseret Hailu

ETH

15 pts.

About World Marathon Majors

Established in 2006, World Marathon Majors (WMM) is a race series comprised of the Tokyo, Boston, Virgin Money London, BMW Berlin, Bank of America Chicago, and ING New York City Marathons. In the years in which they are run, WMM also includes the IAAF World Championships and Olympic marathons. At the conclusion of a two-year cycle, WMM offers a $1 million prize purse to be split equally between the top male and female marathoners in the world. The inaugural 2006-2007 Series was launched at the 110th Boston Marathon on April 17, 2006, and concluded at the ING New York City Marathon on November 4, 2007. The 2012-2013 Series began with the Boston Marathon on April 16, 2012, and will conclude at the ING New York City Marathon on November 3, 2013.